trembletrem‧ble /ˈtrembəl/ ●●○ verb [intransitive] 
His lip started to tremble and then he started to cry.tremble with anger/fear etc Greene was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage.2to shake slightly: The whole house trembled as the train went by.3if your voice trembles, it sounds nervous and unsteady4to be worried or frightened about something: I tremble to think what will happen when she finds out.—tremble noun [countable]
WORD ORIGINtremble
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French trembler, from Latin tremulus ‘shaking’, from tremere ‘to tremble’VERB TABLE
tremble
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | tremble |
| he, she, it | trembles | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | trembled |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have trembled |
| he, she, it | has trembled | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had trembled |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will tremble |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have trembled |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am trembling |
| he, she, it | is trembling | |
| you, we, they | are trembling | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was trembling |
| you, we, they | were trembling | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been trembling |
| he, she, it | has been trembling | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been trembling |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be trembling |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been trembling |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Ginna's whole body trembled as she spoke about her son's death.
- Jane's lip began to tremble and I though she was going to cry.
- Polly hid behind the door, trembling with fear.
- The dog sat trembling in a corner.
- The ground beneath them trembled as the trucks rolled past.
- I hurried home, my heart pounding and my hands trembling in spite of myself-I could not believe it.
- Miguel stood still, lips trembling.
- She trembled involuntarily when she saw him.
- She had begun to tremble with a sort of frightened and frustrated fury.
- She was still trembling a little inside, and the thought of staying here in this house on her own made her nervous.
- While this cooked Baucis set the table with her trembling old hands.
THESAURUSperson
if a person or part of their body shakes, they make small sudden continuous movements from side to side or up and down, especially because they are very frightened, cold, ill etc: · Suddenly he started to shake. ‘Don’t ever scare me like that again!’ he whispered.· The poor girl was shaking.
to shake for a short time, especially because you think of something very unpleasant, or because you feel frightened or cold: · Corbett shuddered when he thought of what might have happened to them.· I shuddered when I read the article.· He was still shuddering with the cold.· She clung to him, shuddering with emotion.
to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are frightened, worried, or angry: · Ernest opened the letter in silence, his hands trembling.· Her whole body trembled with fear.· He hadn’t dared to move. He was trembling with shock.· ‘I won’t be coming back,’ she said, her body trembling with anger.
to shake slightly, especially only a few times, because you are cold or frightened: · She shivered, pulling her coat closer around herself.· You make me shiver when you talk like that.
especially literary to shake slightly and continuously because you are very worried or excited – used especially about someone’s lips, mouth, or body: · Her bottom lip began to quiver, and she turned away to hide her tears.· Alice’s eyes began to fill with tears and her mouth quivered. ‘I 'm going away,’ she said.
to move unsteadily from side to side: · Mrs Hamilton wobbled precariously on her high heels.
to move gently backwards and forwards or from side to side: · He rocked to and fro in his chair.
Longman Language Activatorwhen your body, hand etc shakes if you shake , your body makes small quick uncontrolled movements, for example because you are frightened, nervous, or angry: · My hands were shaking so much I could hardly write my name on the exam paper.shake with fear/anger/laughter etc (=shake because you are frightened, angry etc): · The others were all shaking with laughter.
to shake very slightly, especially because you are frightened or upset: · Jane's lip began to tremble and I though she was going to cry.· The dog sat trembling in a corner.tremble with anger/emotion/fear etc: · Polly hid behind the door, trembling with fear.
to shake because you are cold, or because of an emotion such as fear: · Julia shivered and pulled her coat more tightly around her.· You're shivering! Do you want to go indoors?shiver with excitement/fear/horror etc: · Lizzy looked out at the thick snow and shivered with excitement.
to shake uncontrollably for a short moment, especially because the idea of something is very unpleasant or upsetting: · Dave tried to kiss Julia but she shuddered and turned away.· I shuddered to think of my son all alone in New York.
if a part of your body twitches , it makes a very small, sudden movement, especially when you do not want this to happen but you cannot control it: · Mac was very nervous. A muscle on his face began to twitch.· Roberta's mouth twitched as she tried to stop herself laughing out loud.
to shake so slightly that it is difficult for other people to notice, especially because you are very excited, nervous, or angry: · John's hands were quivering as he put down his papers and started his speech.quiver with anger/excitement/fear etc: · The children stood there quivering with excitement as I opened the package.
when your body shakes violently and uncontrollably because you are very ill: have convulsions: · The baby was sweating and crying. She started to have convulsions again.go into convulsions: · Andrew died after taking the drug, which had caused him to go into convulsions.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Greene was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage. I tremble to think what will happen when she finds out.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I was still trembling violently.
1to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are upset or frightened: Greene was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage. I tremble to think what will happen when she finds out. (=to be shaking slightly because you are so excited)· Her hands were trembling with excitement as she opened the letter.
· He was shaking with fear after being held at gunpoint.
· His hands trembled as he lifted the cup.
· His wife was shaking with rage.
I was still trembling violently. (=a voice that shakes because someone is very nervous or frightened)· He stood up and began to speak in a trembling voice.
(=sounds unsteady)· His voice shook with anger.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The major's hand trembled slightly as he took the cigarette.· I noticed that his hands were trembling slightly, and he seemed to be blinking back tears.· As he got on his bike, Jack found himself trembling slightly.· Voice trembling slightly, I sang the first chorus, mouth too near the mike, and glided towards the stool.· Now though she was feeling nervous, unsure of herself, and she could feel herself beginning to tremble slightly.· Slowly, as quietly as he could, Jack pushed through the undergrowth, trembling slightly in anticipation of what might happen.· A hand that trembled slightly brushed against his forehead as if it could wipe away the weariness.· His voice trembled slightly, but he didn't think the head noticed.
· His hands were trembling so much he was forced to hide them under the sheets.· The vessel trembled so violently that Robinson thought she would crumble to pieces.· My voice was trembling so much, I sounded like Edith Piaf with Parkinson's disease.· His hands trembled so violently that he was unable to bring it to his lips.· Perdita was trembling so badly that she could hardly zip up her boots.· The Collector's hands trembled so badly that he had to rest the telescope on the shattered window sill.· She was trembling so violently that the bed shook.· She could hardly dress, her fingers were trembling so much.
· She was still trembling a little inside, and the thought of staying here in this house on her own made her nervous.· Eight years later, some of the children still tremble when they see their alleged assailants, who remain in the community.· She looked up at him in confusion, her body still trembling, lips still swollen from his kiss.· She sank back into her seat, still trembling.
· When he finally let her go she was still speechless - and trembling violently.· My legs and arms tremble violently, but I do not cry.· The shuttle trembled violently as it accelerated along the runway.· I was trembling violently from head to foot.· He shivered again, and began to tremble violently.· He had been trembling violently for several hours but now no sound came from the place where he lay.· His body remained stiff and taut, even though he wanted to tremble violently.· She's trembling violently and she starts to retch, leaning against me for support as the heaving racks her.
NOUN· Her hands were trembling with anger.· But oh, what that woman did then, which even now sets me to trembling with both anger and desire.· I stood there trembling with humiliation and anger.· I could tell Roque was trembling with anger, and I admit to feeling bad when he slammed down the phone.
· Her hands brushed the keys, her head began to nod, then her body to tremble.· All I had to do was wait until my breath no longer came in short gasps and my body quit trembling.· My whole body trembled when he came near.· She looked up at him in confusion, her body still trembling, lips still swollen from his kiss.· Was this how women cried, their whole bodies trembling?· Her body was trembling with fear.· He held me so high in the air that my whole body trembled.
· Her fingers trembling with excitement, she fastened it around her neck.· When I got there, my daughter greeted me with trembling excitement.
· Days of fear and trembling until it blew over.· I urged myself, struggling with my swamping fear, my trembling guts.
· Her fingers trembling with excitement, she fastened it around her neck.· Reading it, my finger trembled.· For a moment his fingers trembled, hovering over it, and then he gripped it firmly with both hands.· He fished out a cigar and lighted it with fingers which were trembling.· She could hardly dress, her fingers were trembling so much.· He fumbled to unclip the keys from his belt and his fingers were trembling as he tried to unlock the door.· She stroked a sun-warmed block of stone with fingers that trembled.· Annoyed to find her fingers trembling, she tore it open.
· Surkov's hand trembled as he lit another cigarette.· In the hallway my hand trembled as I picked up the receiver.· Susan clasped her hands because she was trembling, but the tension in her locked fingers only made her shake the more.· Or maybe it was my hand that was trembling.· But never mind, though their blue-veined old hands might be trembling their fingers could still pull a trigger.· Pearl was saying, lifting the binoculars, her hands trembling, the lenses tapping the window pane.· His hands trembled so violently that he was unable to bring it to his lips.· Miguel waited for his car to pass by them before he got back into the car, his hands cold and trembling.
· As he walked forward with his escorts, his knees trembled suddenly.· Her knees trembled underneath her raincoat.· She did, but only just, reaching the cafe breathless and with her knees trembling.· As I started toward my brother, I felt my knees trembling.· I walk towards her with my knees trembling.· There was an evil-tasting fluid in my mouth, and my knees trembled.
· His legs were trembling so that his hands wouldn't keep still.· My legs had begun to tremble, with fear now, not anger.· My legs and arms tremble violently, but I do not cry.· She had to sit, her legs were trembling.· My legs trembled and my arms felt as limp as cloth.· The female had been put in her place, her legs made to tremble.
· He could see that her lower lip was trembling and that her eyes were moist.· He noticed that when she saw him, a tiny sparkle came into her eyes and her lips trembled a little.· Young Zuwaya talked with anger and shock, lips and hands trembling, about the perfidy of the Magharba.· Hardin looked up to see Pirenne facing him, eyes tragic and lips trembling.· Her lips parted - trembling - as she hovered on the brink of speech.· His lips trembled, and he felt strangely compelled to shout a defiant slogan.· His enthusiasm faded, his voice hesitated, his lips trembled, his eyes dropped in confusion.· Miguel stood still, lips trembling.
· Her tiny pink mouth was trembling.· Howard paused, fists clenched, mouth trembling.· She could feel her mouth trembling with reaction.· Russell pushed the soup bowl away and wiped his mouth with a trembling hand.· Her mouth softened and trembled beneath his.
· Not surprisingly, Gelernter, 42, still is trembling with rage four years after the bomb went off.· A soldier yells at us to be quiet, and the two of us stand silent and trembling with rage.· Forester was staring at the cottages and the cars, his fists bunched up hard, trembling with rage.· For an instant the familiar grounds glare and tremble, the prisoner rages at his bars.· He trembled, with rage, with panic.· Woolley, arms folded, watched him get up and limp away, trembling with rage.
· My voice was trembling so much, I sounded like Edith Piaf with Parkinson's disease.· Ritchie said, his voice trembling.· The voice wheezed and trembled a little.· Oh man, her voice was trembling.· His voice trembled slightly, but he didn't think the head noticed.· She seemed really upset, her voice trembling a little.· He was gaunt and hollow-eyed; his voice trembled.
VERB· Then, suddenly, he began to tremble.· The clerk, standing beside the filing cabinet, began to tremble.· She had begun to tremble with a sort of frightened and frustrated fury.· And there on the floor she began to tremble.· Moon-Watcher began to tremble uncontrollably; he felt as if his brain would burst, and wanted to turn away his eyes.· Jessamy discovered that she had begun to tremble.· The little house began to tremble with vibrating pipes and an outburst of cranky voices.
· He didn't scream but she felt him tremble and he made a small, pathetic groan, like an angry puppy.· As I started toward my brother, I felt my knees trembling.· She could feel him trembling with fever and cold, although he was close to the fire which burned merrily now.· At the very thought he felt a tendency to tremble.· When I left the pharmacy with my call uncompleted, I could feel my legs trembling.· Then he felt the floor tremble beneath his feet, and a deep throated rumble rose from the bowels of the building.· She felt them tremble with expectation, parting, a little out of control.
· The rope seemed to tremble, as if something was moving along it.· As the countdown reaches the two-minute mark, the room seems to tremble.· Even her red hair seemed to be trembling.· As he stood there, smoking in his jeans and earth-tone shirt he seemed to be trembling.· The room seemed to tremble and grow larger again, and the air to settle back into tranquillity.
· It had sat trembling in his hand, its brown eyes full of the same terror he saw now in Ann's.· Carol was dying, and he cried out in his sleep and sat up trembling with cold sweats in the heat.· Pipkin sat trembling under a fern, his ears drooping on either side of his head.· Later on, he sat trembling on the dock.· When he had left the room, Mr Trotter sat down, trembling.
· She stood trembling, staring at the blank window, feeling smaller than a baby.· A soldier yells at us to be quiet, and the two of us stand silent and trembling with rage.· She stood still, though trembling, until the car moved off, and then she fled toward Jane's.· Miguel stood still, lips trembling.· Daisy, seeking above all not to betray Aunt Millie, had stood her ground, trembling, white-faced.· I jumped out of bed and stood trembling.· When the sickness abated, he stood, sweating and trembling.· Thus for more than two mortal hours the momentous issue stood trembling in the balance.
· She started to tremble deep inside, a nervous quivering that was beyond her control.· When he started to tremble, he figured this was the best way to catch a cold.· The hand starts trembling way out there.
His lip started to tremble and then he started to cry.tremble with anger/fear etc Greene was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage.2to shake slightly: The whole house trembled as the train went by.3if your voice trembles, it sounds nervous and unsteady4to be worried or frightened about something: I tremble to think what will happen when she finds out.—tremble noun [countable]- contingent
- continual
- continually
- continuance
- continuation
- continuation school
- continue
- continued
- continuing education
- continuity
- continuity announcer
- continuo
- continuous
- continuously
- continuum
- contort
- contortion
- contortionist
- contour
- contoured
- contra-
- contraband
- contrabass
- contraception
- contraceptive